Frosted Windowpanes
by Angelic Temptress
Summary: Wally and Linda West are having Christmas dinner at their house and have invited Shayera and John. Future fic based on the R Verse.


"Frosted Windowpanes"

By: The Angelic Temptress

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Everything The Cartoon Network has shown

A/N: This story is set in the "R 'Verse" which BillA1, Merlin Missy, Nancy Brown, and Terry Winder created with their futuristic fictions and drabbles. I suggest that you read their stories because they are all wonderfully written. Play close attention to the drabble series, "Solving for R" by Nancy and Terry, because my story somehow fits into that plot line.

The story is a little fluffy. Warning: HG/GL & Wally/Linda

Again, thank you Missy for the beta.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

XxX

"Who was that on the phone?" Linda asked as she washed her hands. She'd just finished cooking that evening's dinner. The meat stayed warm in the oven, the potatoes were on the stove, the vegetables were ready, and the salad waited for its dressing.

"Barry just told me he won't be here for dinner tonight. He's spending both Christmas and Christmas Eve with the in-laws."

Linda whirled around to face Wally with a look of disgust. "But he was there for Thanksgiving!"

"I know. He did say that they'll stop by the day after."

"Iris is staying with the fiancée and his family. That means we're alone for Christmas."

With a small chuckle, Wally added, "His name is Tom, Linda. But we'll have both Iris and Barry on the twenty-sixth."

"Why do we even bother? I cooked all this food, and yet they can't even show up for dinner! I mean, we didn't even have to put up the tree. Did they forget who the hell carried them for nine months?"

He sighed and leaned in to kiss her forehead. She offered a smile and pushed some of his gray hair from his forehead.

He smiled too. "This only means that we can be regular adults with John and Shayera. We won't have to worry about making sure we embarrass the twins."

She laughed. "Did you tell them they were the only two people you invited to spend Christmas here?"

"Of course not. I just told them to show up at different times so they wouldn't run into each other in the Tower's elevator." Wally pushed Linda back against the counter and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm no idiot."

"Keep telling yourself that. Maybe you'll be able to convince –" Her words were cut off by the lips of her husband. Sometimes she forgot he was over fifty. He'd always acted younger than he was, even at the most inopportune moments.

Sometimes, she was grateful for that.

She had just fixed her lipstick, and now it was smeared on both their mouths. His hands slid down her back and settled on her bottom as he brought his body closer to hers.

"We… we can't do this now," she managed in between kisses. "Damn your metabolism."

The doorbell rang just before his hand could unzip her skirt. She laughed at him and playfully shoved him away. On the way to the door, she checked her face in the bathroom mirror and fixed her lips. She got to the living room just as Wally opened the door.

Shayera Hol stood there without a mask and with her chin-length hair straightened. Her eyes were as bright as ever. The overcoat she wore didn't exactly flatter her figure but managed to conceal her wings.

Linda smiled. "Merry Christmas, Shayera. How are you?"

After the door was closed, Wally took her coat. She wore a green V-neck shirt with jeans and heels.

"I'm all right. Thanks for having me." She gave a grin as she handed Wally a dish covered in tinfoil and explained, "I made brownies."

Wally winced. "Yum."

"By the way, that's a lovely shade of lipstick you're wearing."

Wally kissed her cheek and guided her to sit on the sofa. Linda sat down on the opposite couch and watched as Wally started pouring a few drinks. After he handed both his wife and his friend their glasses, he sat down beside Linda. She gave him a tissue to wipe his mouth with.

"It's crazy outside. Looks like we could have a blizzard on our hands."

Shayera only nodded and sipped her cocktail.

"Barry just called to cancel, so we're only waiting for one more," he added. "Then we can eat."

"Only one? Who?" she asked with her green eyes narrowed.

Linda stared at her husband, and they waited for him to answer. The doorbell rang for the second time, giving him permission to spring from his seat, race to the door, and throw it open.

"John!" Wally yelled and pulled his friend into an embrace. "So good of you to come."

"Merry Christmas, Hotshot. I brought wine for dinner."

Linda immediately recognized the annoyed expression on Shayera's face before she downed her drink. Trying not to seem concerned, Linda stood and walked over to take John's coat.

"Linda, you look amazing. Merry Christmas." John kissed her cheek and hugged her. "You should have red on all the time."

"That's what I told her when we started dating," Wally remarked as Linda hung the coat in the closet.

She ignored Wally's comment. "Thank you. You look very nice too."

John Stewart wore black slacks and a black turtleneck, and those eyes were his unique green hue. He still sported the beard she had always liked.

Shayera stood and came to join the rest. "Hey."

John's eyes widened before he muttered, "Hey yourself."

They were all quiet for a moment. As the guests stared at each other, Linda noted the stupid boyish grin Wally had.

"How about we eat?" he suggested and motioned to the kitchen. "I don't remember if you've ever had my wife's cooking before. It's great."

XxX

The dinner was awkward. Shayera was actually playing with her peas, burying them in her mashed potatoes while she tried not to stare at the man seated across from her and tried to make small talk with her hosts.

Since "arriving" in November of the year 2039, John and Shayera have been on shaky ground. Now it was nearing 2040, and they've only attempted _really_ talking several times. Although they each dealt with the unfinished business of their "past lives," conversations were still difficult.

She put down her fork and sipped her red wine, raising her eyes for a brief moment. John was watching her.

Wally's voice interrupted her thoughts. "We were thinking of having people for New Year's Eve. If you two don't mind rocking with the oldies, you're more than invited. I think Dick and Kyle are bringing their wives."

"I'm working that night," she quickly told him. "But thank you."

"Which shift do you have?" John asked casually.

"Graveyard."

"I have evening shift that night." He turned his head to look at Wally. "I might be able to swing by."

Shayera returned to burying her peas.

XxX

"This was a terrible idea, Wally. If you weren't a senior citizen, I'd sock you."

"Ha. Ha. Wow. That was a good one." Wally finished rinsing the last dish and shut off the water. "But excuse me. I think it was a damn good idea. I mean, you at least exchanged hellos."

"What do you expect from us? A month ago, I was dating Mari and Shayera was seeing Carter. We then were warped here and BOOM. Mari is married with a couple of kids, and Carter is dead."

"She didn't love Carter, John. Even I knew that." He let out an aggravated breath. "But you loved Mari?"

"I really cared about her."

"But you still loved Shayera."

"I'll always love her," John blurted.

Wally stuffed the last plate in the dishwasher and started the machine. "I don't blame you. Hell, if I were twenty years younger and not happily married to my lovely wife," he explained as he glanced at the kitchen door to make sure Linda wasn't listening, "I would still be hitting on that girl. You better be careful before some other guy, who probably won't be as ruggedly handsome as me, picks her up."

"Uh huh. So when did you become the love guru?" John asked with a slanted smile. "Last I remember, you were afraid of even talking to the reporter hounding you in Keystone City."

Wally waggled his eyebrows. "But a guru I am, young Skywalker. To get the girl, use the Force you must."

XxX

Linda pointed to Wally in the wedding photo. She remembered what cologne he wore and the smirk he had when the priest announced them to the church crowd.

"You both looked beautiful." Shayera tilted her head to one side, as if to get a better view of the wedding party. "Dick Grayson was Wally's best man?"

"Of course. He and Wally are best friends."

"Really? I would have loved being there."

"We would have loved having you." Linda flipped the page of the album. "He really missed you and John. Those were a tough couple of years for Wally and the rest of the League. First you and John, you know, died, then Batman broke his back the following year, and Arrow was killed in that plane crash. We had three funerals in three years."

Linda sighed. "But he was strong. He and I started dating a few months after you vanished and were married later that same year. Dick was juggling the roles of both Nightwing and Batman until Bruce was well enough to…" She stopped talking, knowing Shayera wasn't listening.

After a few moments, Linda stood. "I'm going to get the coffee." She walked into the kitchen, and the men's conversation ended. "Don't finish on my account, but you need to help me out there."

Wally shrugged. "She can be difficult to talk to sometimes, but you get an 'A' for effort, dear."

"Uh huh." Linda pulled a tray from the cabinet and placed four coffee cups on it with the tiny sugar bowl and milk. "Can you grab the cookie tray, hon?"

"Sure. C'mon, John. It's time to get chatty."

The three returned to the living room to see Shayera pulling on her black overcoat.

"Where do you think you're going?" Wally stipulated and placed the plates of brownies and cookies on the coffee table.

"Back to the Tower," she answered. "It's getting late."

"This isn't about the brownies is it?"

"No, it's not."

Wally quickly ran to stand between his friend and the door. "I don't think you should. The weather is terrible."

"I'll have J'onn teleport me there."

"Great idea, Shayera. During a blizzard, you want to be molecularly transported. You know as well as I do that the thing malfunctions during storms. Only half of your body might end up at the Metro Tower. I mean, what can the League do with one arm and half of your leg and a few fingers and feathers –"

"Okay, Wally! What are you hinting?"

"I think you and John should stay here tonight." He raced back to Linda's side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "It's the least we could do to make sure you stay safe."

Linda, John, and Shayera glared at him.

"That isn't necessary." John walked over to Shayera. "I can get her home. It's fine." He touched her elbow and asked, "Do you really want to leave?"

She gently pulled away from him. "I don't need an escort. I'm fully capable of getting there myself." Shayera then looked at Wally and Linda. "Thank you both so much for tonight. I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling very well."

"That's fine. Thank you for the brownies." Linda nudged her husband, and he said goodbye to them too.

XxX

Shayera tightened her coat around herself and bit her bottom lip. John had his eyes focused on the sky ahead of them. They were both enclosed in a bubble of green aura, heading toward Metropolis. She was there against her will, and neither had spoken since leaving the Wests. Both knew the silent treatment wouldn't do.

John broke the quietness first. "He was just trying to help."

"It can't be fixed. We can't go back."

"That wasn't what he was trying to fix." He slightly turned his head to look at her from the corner of his eye. "He wants us to act like civilized beings with one another."

"Don't we?" Shayera countered. "We tried to talk, tried to make it work."

"Did we?"

After a second, she demanded "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You won't be living under her shadow, Shayera."

"I'm not worried about that."

"Then what is the problem?" When she didn't answer him, John huffed. "I know we're not exactly in Kansas anymore, but we have to face the fact that we're all we've got."

"So that means we're doomed to spend the rest of our lives together?"

This time, he laughed. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

Shayera couldn't help smiling. "Don't flatter yourself, Lantern."

XxX

"You tried too hard."

Wally rolled his eyes and crawled into bed. He pulled his wife close and grinned. "They're meant to be. I know it."

"Like you and me?"

"You got it."

Her brown eyes narrowed slightly. "You need to mind your own business."

"Please. I minded my own business for thirty-three years."

"And now you have to make up for lost time?"

He chuckled and lightly kissed her lips. "It keeps me young."

"Much to my dismay."

"Nah, I don't believe that." His kisses started down a trail to her neck. "How many of your girlfriends' husbands are as good as twenty-five year olds in bed?"

"What has gotten into you tonight?"

"You wore red, Babe. Red's your color."

"Says the man who wears red spandex to work."

He laughed against her throat and snickered, "You know you like the spandex."

XxX

John couldn't sleep.

He rarely could.

She'd smiled at him earlier. She was so pretty when she smiled. It was almost unnatural on her face, and it simply made her more enticing.

He turned his head and stared at the doorway. Two doors and a hallway separated John from Shayera.

"What are you going to do, John?" he asked himself. "Let her push you away?"

Only weeks ago, they were willing to give themselves another try.

But nothing came of it.

"Damn it all." He climbed out of bed and stomped to his door. It slid open, and he noted Shayera's door was open as well.

He stood there in his gray drawstring sweats, staring at her. She wore red and green plaid pants and a white tee. Both stood frozen in their doorways.

"What are you doing up?" she asked and folded her arms over her chest.

"Um… I was going to brush my teeth. You?"

"I, a… I need a glass of water." Her brow furrowed. "Where is your toothbrush?"

John stuttered, "I, um, I forgot it. Don't you have a fridge in your room?"

She raised her hands in defeat. "Okay. You got me, but I got you too. You were coming here."

"And you were coming here."

She nodded. "We need to talk… right now." Shayera stepped to the side. John took the offer and slowly walked across the hallway and into her bedroom.

The door closed behind her, and she placed both hands on her hips. "We agreed that we'd take a chance for the third time."

"Yes, we did." He took a step toward her. "But you wanted some time away from –"

"No. I wanted to make sure that…" Her eyes lowered.

"That?"

"That you were sure of what you were getting yourself into."

He shook his head. "We've been through this." John took hold of her arms and carefully forced her to look at him. "The past is _literally_ past. I want what Wally has, and I want it with you… I know what we're trying to do is right."

"How can you be so sure?"

John slightly smiled as he remembered their son's features. He would have his mother's eyes. "Trust me."

She kissed him. He wasn't exactly prepared for that, but it felt good nonetheless. When Shayera's arms wrapped around his neck and her body molded so easily against his, he realized how much he really missed her.

XxX

Linda opened her eyes. Wally was still asleep, which was nothing new. The clock said it was nearly nine. Since the kids weren't visiting, she didn't have to fret over lunch and dinner that day, though feeding her husband was an accomplishment in itself.

She smiled and decided Christmas could wait as she shifted closer to his side of the bed. Without waking, Wally wrapped his arms around Linda and sighed.

XxX

THE END


End file.
